I had an interesting conversation about this film, and wanted to throw something out there.
We're all familiar with the end of the movie. Matthew wrecks a bunch of stuff, a flashlight shines at the screen, Matthew goes through a day emotionlessly, sees Nancy, and goes....
It's always seemed completely unambiguous to me that Matthew was turned into..... One of them, and that all was lost.
I was told that I was wrong, and that it was pretty clear that Matthew narced on Nancy to keep his cover, and that Kaufman himself had said so.
Huh?
Anyone else think that?
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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I'm with you.
I always assumed that nothing human could make the sound he made at the end.
Plus it added to the whole "it's a hopeless lost cause" theme of the movie.
If he was faking I think it would have made for a weaker ending.
You know, I would have said that a week ago, but when I watched it again last night, I had to wonder. Part of it is that Sutherland is such an odd-looking guy to begin with, but as he's going through his day, and especially when he's sitting at his desk tearing up the papers, he seems a little "off".
I dunno, I was dead sure of myself a week ago, now, not so much.
Great movie regardless, and other than Carpenter's The Thing.... Best. Ending. Ever.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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It seems completely out of character for the protagonist to turn on a friend just to save his own skin. It's not like there were pod-people within spitting distance, so that he had no choice.
Definitely one of the best endings to a film ever, that's for sure.
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.
I'm just going to pick at this scab for a while I guess.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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Cail wrote:Great movie regardless, and other than Carpenter's The Thing.... Best. Ending. Ever.
Agreed. And it's one of my all time favourite horror/sci-fi movies.
As for my opinion of the ending, I think Sutherland's character is a Pod person as it just fits. As for Kaufman's comment, I will have to listen to the commentary on my dvd. I have listened to it before and I don't recall that he said contrary what I wrote . . . .but I may have forgotten.
I watched IBS recently and have to support Cail's original notion. I've never had any other impression and nothing has changed. It's interesting to speculate otherwise but I don't recall anything that supports the idea that Mathew was faking. IMHO.
"If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?"
